Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Geller Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 e5
The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Maróczy Bind, Geller Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B32, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 e5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 50 times by this move order. White won 42%, 4% were drawn and Black won 54%. The most popular continuation is 6. Nxc6 (36% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.56 (Stockfish, depth 51; best line 6. Nf5 d6 7. Nc3 g6 8. Ne3 Bg7)
- ECO
- B32
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p1n5/4p3/2PNP3/8/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 e5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 28 | |
| 2000+ | 20 | |
| All | 50 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Nxc6 | 18 (36%) | |
| 6. Nc2 | 10 (20%) | |
| 6. Nf5 | 9 (18%) | |
| 6. Nf3 | 9 (18%) | |
| 6. Nb3 | 3 (6%) | |
| 6. Ne2 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
16 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 63%, draw 6%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- GM David W L Howell (2663) – CM Miroslav Simonovic (2115) 1-0 · Titled Tue 31st Jan Late · 2023-01-31
- FM Vladimir Bochnicka (2367) – CM Miroslav Simonovic (2115) 0-1 · Titled Tue 6th Dec Early · 2022-12-06
- WFM Elena Homiakova (2113) – IM Jens Ove Fries-Nielsen (2359) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 27th Apr · 2021-04-27
- FM Bruno Andre Leite Martins (2339) – CM Miroslav Simonovic (2115) 1-0 · Titled Tue 10th Jan Late · 2023-01-10
- FM Pavel Plotnikov (2297) – CM Miroslav Simonovic (2129) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tuesday 27th Oct · 2020-10-27
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Kaelan_Stormwell (2289) – Narti08 (2373) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
- Zuborenje (2262) – Narti08 (2369) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
- matienzoo (2296) – mailzz (2262) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Open (3… cxd4 4. Nxd4) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.